• Question: If you are ever under pressure at your work, what coping strategies do you use to get through all of your work you need to?

    Asked by Rianna to Craig, Flavia, Giuditta, Jack, Sheona on 10 Nov 2015.
    • Photo: Jack Carlyle

      Jack Carlyle answered on 10 Nov 2015:

      For me, talking about things helps the most. Whether it’s to a friend, a co-worker, my supervisor, my family, it always feels much easier to cope when you’ve shared your troubles.
      It also helps to take a break. Working too much can actually make the quality of your work much worse, and so finding a way to chill out is indespensible. I like taking walks through parks and listening to music, but everyone has their own way to calm down.

    • Photo: Giuditta Perversi

      Giuditta Perversi answered on 10 Nov 2015:

      Of course it happens that I feel really under pressure at work.
      I think it’s normal, especially with deadlines, things not working out, problem with arranging special needs and the like.
      I am usually really proactive about it, sitting around makes me even more nervous so I tend to do collateral stuff or to try and find other ways to deal with “the big block”.
      If there is a way I can solve just by spending more time on it, I do it.
      If I just need to deal with it and wait and let it roll, I try to find way to get my head off the issue, like reading something good, watch a good movie/Tv series, going out with friends for a coffee or for dinner.
      Of course looking for advice from someone else is also an option, science expects you to be independent but not on your own.

    • Photo: Flavia de Almeida Dias

      Flavia de Almeida Dias answered on 11 Nov 2015:

      I break dancing and singing to Queen+David Bowie’s “Under Pressure”, then I feel fabulous again and things all look better!

      I am not joking 🙂 Sometimes silly things really help to relax, and if you relax you can work much better again back into the deadlines. And I find that the right soundtrack makes working all nighters much more bearable! I wrote a lot of my Ph.D thesis listening to the Best of Queen album.

      Also, go outside, give a huge scream from the very very deep of your lungs, I find it relaxing, although some of my neighbours must hate me, so avoid doing it after 10pm.

      And, of course, talk to people. I have friends which are used to take on all my complaints, and then just say “there there it will be fine”. You don’t need them to solve your problems, sometimes it is just nice to have someone who listens.

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